Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty in Sioux City Shooting Case

A Kansas City man who repeatedly fired a handgun at a motorist in downtown Sioux City, Iowa pled guilty July 11, 2011, in federal court in Sioux City.

Michael Anthony Johnson, 29, from Kansas City, Kansas, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of a felony.

Information presented by the United States at the plea hearing revealed that despite being legally prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his pervious felony conviction, (i.e. a September 17, 2007 conviction for Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Distribute in Circuit Court of Cass County, Missouri, Case Number 06CA CR 02256), Johnson possessed a firearm from April 22, 2011 through about June 13, 2011.

On April 22, Johnson repeatedly shot at another man in downtown Sioux City, Iowa. The victim pulled into the parking lot of an after hours club in Sioux City. Seeing Johnson – a man with whom the victim had an ongoing dispute – the victim attempted to drive away. Johnson cut across the block to an intersection the escaping victim had to cross. The victim stopped at a stop sign, and proceeded into the lighted intersection. When the victim did so, Johnson opened fire, repeatedly hitting the vehicle and shattering the front and back driver side windows. The victim escaped, and police did not find Johnson until June 13, 2011.

On June 13, Johnson was spotted in Sioux City by officers of the Sioux City Police Department. Officers stopped the vehicle in which Johnson was a passenger, and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Johnson was in possession of the .40 caliber handgun he had used in the shooting. The weapon was loaded.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Johnson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Johnson faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. The case was investigated by special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and officers of the Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

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Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives United States Department of Justice